Just Reward
by ijustliketowatch
Summary: Steroline romance set in the future after the events of the show. Follows cannon up to S2's ending, then veers off.
1. Chapter 1

So this story was originally just the frame about Stefan and Caroline years after what _The Vampire Diaries_ (which I don't own any part of, etc) show will probably cover. I love Forwood, but I also think the Steroline chemistry is really compelling so I wanted to explore it. However, I couldn't just pass over the intervening years without explanation. Hints of past Forwood, Delena, Steferine and Stelena.

Stefan and Caroline had not been in Mystic Falls for many years. Who could blame them? The town held nothing except pain and sadness.

Caroline had lovingly stuck with Tyler until the end of his life. Even when she had to tell the doctors she was a distant relative rather than the love of his life. Even when in wolf form his body was so decrepit with age that he could only lay in Caroline's lap and whimper in pain. And even when his mind was so weakened that he no longer remembered their life together. It had been hellish, but she had not regretted loving him—only wished they'd had more time. Stefan had been her friend, her rock. He had helped care for Tyler and comforted Caroline when the pain overwhelmed her. It was the least he could do.

Caroline had helped Stefan come back from the brink of madness once he had finally escaped Klaus by filling the role Lexi had occupied so many years before. After years of succumbing to his ripper side, Stefan could not reconcile what he had done with the life he had left behind. Elena tried to help, but Stefan was despondent. He could not suppress his guilt over the countless lives he had taken and he had changed in their years apart. Stefan had finally come to terms with what it meant to be a vampire. He couldn't love Elena when every moment he was struggling to control the monster within. He would always love her, but he refused to let her stop living while he healed. So he pushed her away and she eventually fell into Damon's arms. Stefan did not begrudge their happiness. Damon loved her deeply and he provided the strength and devotion she needed.

But Elena wasn't the only one Stefan pushed away. He somehow became more introverted and brooding than before, determined to master his bloodlust on his own. He was so afraid his weakness would disappoint the people who loved him that he shut them out. However, despite taciturn silence, pleading and even a threat or two, Caroline would not leave Stefan alone. She accompanied him on every hunt and supplied him with blood bags to build up his tolerance. Most importantly, she gave him her unfailing optimism and caring. She encouraged him when he feared the hunger would consume him and comforted him when he thought he might prefer the release of death to his crushing guilt. With her help, he began to heal. Then Katherine returned.


	2. Chapter 2

Stefan had dallied with Katherine while he was a ripper, indulging in more than just his desire for blood while he lived without guilt or consequence. When Katherine heard Elena was out of the picture, she tried to woo him again. She once again wreaked havoc, killing as she pleased in an attempt to force Stefan into loving her. When she staked Caroline, missing her heart my mere millimeters, Stefan decided her villainy had to end. When he finally plunged the stake into her heart and watched the betrayal and anger fade from her eyes, he suddenly felt relieved. She had started the danger and misery in his life from the day she turned him and he felt peace knowing she could not cause it anymore.

Stefan began to yearn for his old life again. Everyone had since left Mystic Falls fearing people would grow suspicious of the vampires' agelessness. At first, Stefan had followed Elena and Damon. She was a kindergarten teacher and watching her joy at the children's curiosity was one of the most beautiful things Stefan had ever seen. The way she would gaze with affection when her students rambled on in excitement or the way her brow furrowed in concern when they were sad made Stefan wish she'd had children of her own. She and Damon had considered adopting for a time, but decided against it knowing Damon's vampirism would complicate raising a child. How would they explain Damon's appearance to a child or to other parents for that matter?

As Elena grew older, she begged to return to Mystic Falls and the Salvatores could not deny her. They returned to the Salvatore Boarding House, the brothers posing as her grandsons and compelling those who asked too many questions. When Elena eventually passed away, Damon decided to take his own life as well. Stefan begged him to reconsider, but Damon refused asking, "what kind of life could be better than reuniting with her in death?" So one day, he took off his ring and stepped into the sun. Stefan almost envied the peace on his brother's face.

Memories assaulted Stefan now that he was alone in the Boarding House and he decided to seek out Caroline. When he came to them, Tyler was already in bad shape and his best friend was beginning to show the strain. She was not as quick to laugh as before and weariness had replaced the lively ring her voice used to have. It pained Stefan to see her anguish so he decided to take them back to Mystic Falls and help care for Tyler. He paid for every medical bill and sat with them through every full moon. Caroline was inconsolable after Tyler's death. She refused to eat or leave the house and Stefan feared she would end her life as Damon had.

After weeks of gloomy silences and heart-wrenching sobs, Stefan suggested they leave Mystic Falls for good. It was too potent a reminder of what they had lost. So they closed the house and began to travel the world. Stefan decided on a small, uninhabited island in the Bahamas where they could hunt and sunbathe as they pleased. He hoped the sun and solitude would distance her from Mystic Falls, but it simply left her more time to think about Tyler. She would lay on the beach in her bathing suit not looking at the book in her hands, but staring at the ocean with tears in her eyes.

He next went for a different approach and took her on a tour of Europe; hopefully, endless activity would distract her. They rode gondolas down every waterway of Venice, explored every castle in the Loire Valley, visited every pub in Ireland and ate countless meals, each more delicious than the last. Eventually, the nights when Caroline cried herself to sleep became less frequent.


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry if things get a little cheesy in this chapter, I kind of owed it to them after what I did in the previous chapters. Please review.

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It had been years since Stefan had woken to the sounds of Caroline crying. But this time, instead of laying in bed aching for her pain, he climbed into her bed and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned into his chest, her hands clenching his shirt as the sobs shook her body.

"We need to go back to Mystic Falls," she finally choked out

"Okay," he agreed, unsure what had brought this sudden change.

They flew back to Mystic Falls the next day and as they drove closer, a sense of belonging filled them both.

"Where do you want to go?" Stefan asked.

"The cemetery," Caroline answered softly.

Suddenly, Stefan understood why she wanted to return—it was she and Tyler's wedding anniversary. Caroline had looked radiant that day. She wore a strapless dress with a corset bodice and a flowing skirt. Her bouquet consisted of violets and white roses and she practically glowed with joy. For all his toughness, Tyler cried throughout the ceremony, a big, dumb smile showing through the tears. Stefan smiled at the memory, but a sense of deep sadness for Caroline quickly supplanted it. He looked over and saw tears in her eyes and immediately grabbed her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. She smiled at him and squeezed his hand in appreciation.

They bought flowers at the cemetery. Caroline picked violets and white roses while Stefan opted for matching bouquets of lilies, one white, one purple. As they approached Tyler's headstone, Caroline paused. She was chewing her lip trying to hold back tears. Stefan stood in front of her and lifted her chin so their eyes met.

"Come on," he said softly. "I'm right here."

Caroline nodded and took a deep breath. When they reached Tyler's grave, Caroline knelt down to clear the fallen leaves from the headstone.

"Would you mind giving me a few minutes?" she asked, never taking her eyes from the headstone.

"Sure," Stefan replied and walked in the direction of Damon and Elena's graves. As he knelt to clear the brush from their headstones, he felt an overwhelming sense of loss. Being away from Mystic Falls for so long had helped suppress his grief, but memories suddenly came rushing back. He missed the way Damon waggled his eyebrows when he wanted to emphasize his words. He missed the way Elena said his name with so much love and caring in her tone. Most of all, he missed just talking to them and feeling their presence in his life. As tears rolled down his face, Stefan placed the white lilies on Elena's grave and their purple mates on Damon's. Stefan stood staring at the graves for a long time when he suddenly felt Caroline's hand slide into his.

"I miss them so much," he said.

"Me too," she replied.

They looked into each other's tear-stained eyes and pulled each other into a tight embrace. Despite the pain, Stefan felt a sense of warmth fill him as he held Caroline. It occurred to him that he would have died ages ago without her. First, she had helped him crawl out of his depression after his years as a ripper. Then she had given him something to live for when Damon and Elena died. His grief could have overwhelmed him, but knowing Caroline would be alone to care for Tyler had kept him from ending his life as Damon had. Focusing on making her happy again after Tyler's death had kept him alive.

Stefan felt a wave of gratitude wash over him and realized with surprise that Caroline was more than just his best friend. She was the sun around which his world revolved. He pulled back slightly to look into her wide blue eyes and thought he recognized feelings similar to his own there. It was as if they both came to the same realization: "oh, of course I love you." Stefan placed his hands on the sides of her face and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips; their bodies melted together as they took comfort in each other's touch. When the kiss ended, Stefan tenderly stroked her cheek with his thumb and they both smiled.

"Thank you for taking care of me after Tyler died," Caroline said. "I don't think I would have been able to survive it without you."

"I had to, Caroline," Stefan replied. "I had to repay you for saving me after I escaped Klaus. I never would've been able to regain control without your help."

"But I had to, Stefan" Caroline said with a small laugh. "You taught me how to be a vampire. I never would've learned to control myself if you hadn't helped me every step of the way."

"Well, I'm sure glad I did," Stefan said playfully. Caroline gave him a quick kiss and smiled the same carefree smile Caroline often flashed before Tyler's death.

They never returned to Mystic Falls. Instead, they reveled in their love. It was as if fate had paid them back for their hardship by giving them each other. And they had no intention of squandering that gift.


End file.
